


Collection Day With Extra Pickles

by Endangered_Slug



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen, Kind of angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-25
Updated: 2014-03-25
Packaged: 2018-01-17 00:30:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1367302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Endangered_Slug/pseuds/Endangered_Slug
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mr. Gold is gone and rent is due.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Collection Day With Extra Pickles

**Author's Note:**

> This was a plot bunny that bit me on the ear after seeing [delintthedarkone's](http://sorrydearie.tumblr.com/post/80672489376/delintthedarkone-you-must-be-mrs-gold) beautiful drawing this morning. More specifically it was sorrydearie's tag that got it started. I'm sure someone else got bit by that same bunny and is writing something truly epic but I had to give it a whirl. It's unbetaed so all the mistakes and nonsense are mine - whee!

The residents of Storybrooke who were not fighting the villain of the month took the time between crises to go about their regular lives. The butcher, the baker, the florist were smalltime players in the ever present battle of good versus evil and did their best to keep their heads down and their slates clean. Except for one, singular problem: Rent day.

“It's not right,” Mr. Clark said between sneezes. “There ought to be a law.”

“You'll find that the law would be on my side, Mr. Clark. Now if you would be so kind as to pay what is due I will be on my way.”

Mr. Clark, AKA Sneezy, glared as he handed over a fistful of cash hastily gathered from the register. “You're just as bad as he is, you know.”

The money was taken with a polite thank you and a tick mark off a clipboard. Belle tugged the oversized jacket closer and walked off to collect from the next with Dove following silently behind. She held her breath to keep the tears from falling as she crossed over the intersection where she last saw Rumpelstiltskin but by the time she was across the street her face was wet and turning blue. 

News spreads like wildfire in a small town and soon people knew that the rent was due and “not today” wasn't an option. The nuns were especially vociferous but they quickly backed down once their contract was produced with the pertinent paragraphs highlighted in yellow and the proper legal documents inspected. 

“It's outrageous,” The Blue Fairy spat. “You're just as bad as he is.”

“If you don't like the terms of your contract then I suggest you renegotiate.”

“He's dead!”

Belle felt the tears start to well up. “Did you see a body?” she asked quietly.

The Blue Fairy was silent.

“Did you?” she prodded hoping there would be an acknowledgement of her reasoning. Rheul Ghorm of all people should know that dead does not necessarily mean dead.

“You need help” was all that she said. 

“I'll give that all the consideration it deserves. In the meantime, rent is due.” Belle held out a hand and refused to cry. Not in front of the nuns. Rumple had called her brave once and she would be, even in the face of everyone's hatred.

The Blue Fairy handed over the money with a grudge unbefitting her calling then slammed the door in her face.

—————————————————————————————————————————

“You're kidding me,” Moe French said with a look of horror on his face. “Belle, you can't be serious.”

Belle had saved this stop for her last, putting it off until she had no other way to avoid it unless she skipped it altogether and that was unthinkable. She put on a brave face. 

“Of course I'm serious, Papa. You still owe money and your contract was very specific; there will be no extensions. 

“You're just as bad as he is, you know!” Moe took off his hat and slapped it against his leg. 

She nodded her head and smiled half-heartedly. “So I've heard. Nevertheless, you signed a contract.”

“I'm your father. Can't you make an exception for me?”

This was what she dreaded. The pleading and begging from someone whom she used to look up to and admire. She shook her head and set her shoulders straight. “No reprieves, Papa. Especially for family; I don't want to be seen as playing favorites. Now I'm sure you were called by someone to let you know I would be by. It seems the entire town knew before noon. Do you have the money?”

“Belle!” he cried out, exasperated and desperate. “No, I don't. Business is slow here what with one half the town fighting the other who buys flowers?”

She nodded her head and gave it some thought. “I can understand your problem.”

“So you'll grant me an extension?” he asked hopefully. 

“No, of course not. If I make an exception for you then I'll have to make an exception for Granny. And if I make an exception for Granny then I'll have to make an exception for Geppetto and so on. But you do have a valid point about the business. You should diversify. Maybe start serving coffee. It's popular in this land.”

His face turned dangerously red and he rushed towards her before stopping himself abruptly when he realized what he was doing. “I should take you over my knee!” 

Belle looked at him with the face that stared down the Dark One and won. “Try it,” she said quietly. “Try it and see what happens to you next.”

Moe seemed to deflate and backed away two steps, looking down at his shoes. 

Belle motioned to Dove to take the van away. She hated this. Hated that her father had turned out to be so... so weak-minded. 

“How am I supposed to make my deliveries? If I can't make my deliveries then I can't make money and if I can't make money then I can't pay your precious rent.” 

Belle shrugged. “It's a small town and you could use the exercise. I suggest you walk.”

“Is this about what happened in the mines? I promise you–“

Belle's nostrils flared with indignation. “That has nothing to do with it. This is a business matter only. In fact, considering the circumstances, I wanted to inform you that this will be the last time I personally collect the rent from you. Dove will be my proxy from now on unless you choose to use the library book return to drop it off. Either one works for me. I just wanted you to know that I meant business.”

Moe sighed deeply in defeat. “Fine.”

“Goodbye, Papa,” she said firmly. She waved to Dove who opened the back and started emptying it of flower arrangements. There was no need to be cruel.

Belle walked away quickly not having the energy to deal with her father any longer. She was halfway to the shop when she was met up with Grumpy. 

“You got a lot of guts, sister.”

She smiled ruefully. “It wasn't the most pleasant day, but it had to be done.”

“Why? Gold is dead. He's not coming back.”

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes not wanting to get into it in the middle of the street. She sighed heavily. “That's what I've been hearing. Among other things.” She muttered the last part feeling the tears come again. But she could cry in front of Dreamy and not feel bad. She felt like he would understand. 

“He said it himself, many times. Dead is dead. You need to let him go.”

“Did you see a body?”

“I– no.”

“Even if you did see it, that doesn't mean he's dead. When will people stop and think for once? How many people have we thought had died and it turned out they really aren't? So far this past month we've had three funerals and two of the supposedly dead people are still walking around. We need a better system of determining necrosis. I intend on speaking to Dr. Whale about it when I get the time. He has to have done research on the subject.”

Grumpy gave his head a little shake and brought her back on topic. “Yeah, but Gold was stabbed with the Dark One's dagger.”

Belle pointed a finger at him triumphantly. “ _Exactly_! And what happens to the Dark One when he's been stabbed with the dagger?”

Grumpy scratched behind his ear for a second. “Legend says that the Dark One dies and the power is transferred to the new guy.”

She smiled thinly. “Exactly! And _who_ stabbed Rumple with the dagger?”

“...He... stabbed... himself?”

“Exactly! He transferred the power to himself. I believe we can get him back.”

Grumpy stopped in the middle of the intersection at that. Belle strode on ahead unwilling to be “Yeah, but, I hate to break it to you, no one wants him back.”

“ _That's_ where you're wrong.”

—————————————————————————————————————————

Belle let herself into the shop, quietly closing the door behind her and double checking that it was locked. The combination for the safe had been easy to figure out when she'd tried it the week before and she quickly had it open. She replaced the contracts she'd brought with her and the will stating her as beneficiary then carefully stacked the money she'd collected on top. The shawl was folded up and waiting for when Baelfire returned from their old land – if he ever did – and her cup was kept in the cabinet in the back. Those were the only two items Rumple truly valued and she kept a careful watch over them. She closed the safe firmly, spinning the dial to set the lock.

There was nothing else for her to do, but she stayed to tidy up anyway. The mess strewn around from Rumple's last fight with Pan had been cleaned up already but there were still some small things that needed to be dusted before she went back to Granny's for dinner. Maybe she'd finally have that cheeseburger. With extra pickles.


End file.
